1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a standardized picnic table specifically designed to accommodate handicapped users confined to a wheelchair without any sacrifice of utility to non-handicapped users. More particularly it relates to such a table which is stable to table tipping influences, both endways and sideways.
2. Background of the Invention
With the adoption of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), it has become desirable to make all furniture designs user friendly and accessible to those persons unfortunate enough to be confined to a wheelchair. Government agencies such as the United States Forest Service and others have stated that in the future all site furniture shall be equally accessible by handicapped and non handicapped users alike. In particular, the Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibilities Guidelines requires specific dimensions: The seating space shall contain knee space at least 27 inches (685 mm) high, 30 inches (760 mm) wide, and 19 inches (485) deep. Toe clearance 9 inches (230 mm) minimum in height shall extend an additional 5 inches minimum from the knee clearance.
In the past, there have been attempts at designing wheelchair accessible picnic tables. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,116,681, Borglum of Sep. 12, 2000 lays claim to a modification of a popular and widely standardized picnic table frame design that originates from a National Park Service design dating from at least as early as the 1950's which incorporates a J-shaped leg made from bent round pipe. However, in some embodiments of this table there is a sacrifice in the seating along the sides of the table in order to accommodate wheelchairs, and in other embodiments the wheelchair is accommodated at the end, by an extension of the top considerably beyond the frame support and seat end whereby there is a loss of utility to non-handicapped users. In addition the table sacrifices some stability, because of this extension from the supporting frame of the table, even in spite of the fact that some versions of it use so called anti-tipping feet. The table still remains unstable and capable of tipping sideways and the anti-tipping feet cause problems. This is true because of the loss of support on the outside of the bend of the two dimensional “J leg”.
Other examples of handicap accessible picnic tables include for example U.S. Pat. No. 4,917,436 of Apr. 17, 1990. It uses a generally circular as opposed to elongated picnic table. It, however, sacrifices some seating as well in order to accommodate wheelchairs.
It can be seen, therefore, that there is a continuing need, particularly in view of the federal government's emphasis in its contracts for outdoor camp site furniture, for improved picnic tables that are not only handicapped accessible without any sacrifice in accessibility or ease of use for non-handicapped users but also have improved stability for safer use without risk of injury.
It is accordingly a primary object of the present invention to develop a picnic table frame that, by its inherent design, does not make it an impediment to handicapped persons, without making a design that is specifically for handicapped individuals. In other words to make a standard product that will work equally well for the handicapped or non handicapped without sacrifice of convenience to either user.
Another objective that suppliers are constrained by is the fact that due to government procurement procedures and the wide use of picnic tables by agencies and municipalities, the improvement over conventional tables must be available without significant increase in costs and be produceable inexpensively by conventional industrial mass production methods.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide an improved stability handicapped accessible picnic table which has substantially eliminated the risk of both endways and sideways tipping, regardless of whether the weight of all users concentrated on one side of the table or at the end of the table seats and/or top.
The method of accomplishing these and other objectives of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description which follows.